Improvement in putting up hams



ilniwl fittest flaunt Gtjlflina 1 SAMUEL EDWARD KELLY, or QPIHILA-DELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letterslatent No.11.2.4e7',.i1a;tea Mare 7, 187i.

IMPROVEMENT IIN'PUTTING uP HAMS.

I The Schedule referred to in these LetteraPatent and part of the same.

y 31,; S MU L EDWARD KELLY, of Philadel hia", county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in the Packing of Hams,

850., of which the following is a specification. 1 Natm-e dnd Objectof the ITwG TtZ'iOYI/a Myinventionl: consists of a'harn 'or" other joint'of cured'meat incased in an air-tight metallic integm ment, so as to prevent the ,deterioration of the meat by evaporation of its juices and the ravages of insects.

Gent'dl Description. Joint'spf salted and smokedrneats, such as hams,

smoked beef, 800., become deterioratedduring storage andtransportation, owing to twomain causes: first,

theevaporationof the juices, which'results in the loss ofweight, excessive dryness, and consequent -.loss of most of the nutritious properties of the meat; and,

second, by theiravages of the insects known as skip 1 pers, the larvae of the ham-fly.fl t

With thevie'iv'of preventing these evils, it has been the practice to inease hams and other joints of curedmeat in canvas covers, but even when thu's incased a hamstoredldiiring the summer months will lose in weight from three wan-r pomids,and, if there be the {slightest hole in the eov er,&t he ham-fly will gain aeeess 'to' the contents, and the partial destruction of I the meatby skippers will be theresult.

An ii'eotualremedy for these evils is the inclosing of the ham or other joint in' an air-tight easing of metal. This I accomplish by striking up or bending tinned plates sothat they will conform, or nearlyc0nform, to the shape of the joint, and then soldering the plates where they meet or lap over each'other, so that; the entire joint is incased within a perfectly air-tight metallic integument, thefcasing' being furnished with a metalliceye or book, so as to admit of being readily handled and suspended. I

By this casing not only is the absorption of the juices prevented, but the exclusion of the ham-fly remdered certain.-

Claim.

of cured meat incloserl in an air-tight metallic integument.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL EDWARD KELLY.

: Witnesses:

WM. A. STEEL, T. B. RICHARDS.

As anew article of commerce, a ham or other joint: 

